Workspaces can get cluttered quickly. Reduce the mess with these fast, effective storage tips.
Storage for Small Items
For quick storage of lightweight odds and ends (such as screws, nails or other hardware), try this tip from Club member Phillip Fishman of Parma, Ohio. Buy a molded-plastic shelving unit and flip the shelves upside down during assembly. The molded shelf reinforcements provide divided compartments that are perfect for small items.
How to Make Stackable Storage
Club member Tony Martinez of San Lorenzo, California, developed this quick and inexpensive storage system to keep his sprinkler-repair supplies organized (though it would work well for storing a variety of items). He purchased 12-gallon plastic containers and for each container, a 10-ft. length of 4-in. PVC drain pipe at a home improvement store. He cut the PVC pipe into 11-in.-long sections, duct-taped the pipe sections together vertically and placed them inside the 12-gallon boxes to create divided organizers. Because the boxes are stackable, they’re space-saving as well.
How to House a Hose
Frustrated with his compressor’s self-coiling air hose getting tangled or behaving like a Slinky when it was stored, Club member Scott Dunt of Normal, Illinois, came up with the idea of storing the hose inside an 18-in.-long section of 4-in.-dia. PVC pipe. He strapped the pipe to the compressor tank with long nylon cable ties. The pipe is just the right diameter for the coiled hose to move easily in and out. He also drilled 1/2-in. holes on one end to store a blow gun and a tire chuck, then cut a 3/4-in.-wide slot on the other end for the coupler.
How to Create Overhead Storage
If storage space is at a premium in your shop, try this solution from Club member Don Richer of New Boston, New Hampshire. He uses scrap lumber to build hinged storage panels that pivot down from overhead joists. For smaller objects, Don simply attaches a 1x4 stiffener along one edge of a plywood sheet; then he fastens the opposite edge of the sheet to the overhead joists with a pair of strap hinges. To store large objects (such as sections of PVC pipe), Don adds 1x4 dividers to the plywood sheet, positioned so that they fit between the joists and form individual storage bins. To lower and raise the storage panels, Don uses a length of rope fed through a screw eye in one of the opposing overhead joists.
How to Store Spray Cans
A custom-built drawer helps Club member M.O. “Buck” Buchanan of Coleman, Michigan, keep the spray cans in his shop tidy. Full-extension drawer slides allow easy access to all of the spray cans, and the drawer even provides storage for a spray-can gun.
How to Use Gutters as Storage
Club member Bob Pettegrew of Liberty, Missouri, used a 10-ft. section of vinyl gutter, two gutter end pieces and a couple of gutter-support brackets to build this simple storage trough for spray cans and other small items. Because the gutter can store only one row of items, it keeps them organized in plain sight; Bob never has to worry that smaller items will be hidden back behind larger spray cans.
Bungee Cord Storage Tip
If you’re looking for a great way to store elastic bungee cords, try this method recommended by Club member John Bottomley of Lutz, Florida. Cut slots in a length of 2-in.-dia. PVC pipe; then hang the pipe section near your workbench. Your bungee cords will remain tangle-free, and you can store multiple sizes on one length of pipe.
How to Dry Work Gloves
To help damp work gloves dry fast, Club member Clinton Keith of Dolores, Colorado, hangs them from plastic clothespins mounted to the wall with 1-in. drywall screws. Besides drying quickly, the gloves are easy to find when he needs them.
How to Store Glue
Keep your glue bottles within reach — and keep an eye on how much glue is in them — with this tip from Club member Frank May of Kansas City, Missouri. Attach a small clear container to a couple of perforated-hardboard hooks; then load it with assorted bottles of glue and hang it in an easily accessible spot. Your glue will always be handy, and you’ll always be able to see the level of glue in each bottle.
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